Monday, February 28, 2011

the funniest sayings....



 Blogs are like sharks, they have to keep moving or they die!




Since I have no photos of sharks I had to resort to finding some copywright free ones on the internet.  I think it's interesting that the two that appealed to me the most were tattoos.  Hmmm... No. not for me. definitely don't like needles.
I can't remember where I heard this but I really found it funny and somewhat true so thought I would share.  And, yes, I have been feeling like mine is getting quite repetitive and dull.  I need some Art imersion inspiration and soon!

Monday, February 21, 2011

Let the melting begin....

 A quick walk about this morning reveals with an unexpected freeze overnight... the beauty of icicles.  We don't see them very often here.   I guess I really shouldn't stand underneath them very long.
 This poor plant is directly in the path of the snow melt coming off the roof.  Good thing it's a hardy specimen.
 Isn't this tangled twisted peice of ice amazing!!
 A sneak peak of the Vancouver Island mountain range... if we were able to trim some of those maple trees we would have a spectacular view.  But since they grow like weeds here, there's really no use!
 Icy gorgeousness!
Some snow damage.  I think this is fortuitous,  these branches always hit me in the head when I mow the lawn.  :)  Wow, we will be doing lots of cleanup after this winter.

Friday, February 18, 2011

so That's what those clouds were all about....

This is what we woke up to this morning.  Quite a surprise.... and I am wondering.... why aren't those weather people better at predicting ?
 The sun was starting to peak out and the snow covered trees in the distance were glowing white.  WOW
 There.... see what I mean....  Isn't that spectacular
This is serendipity.  My camera has been doing this weird thing... the last photo I take is often cut in half with one from a previous shoot.  So, here we have  today, with the gift that those amazing clouds gave us overnight merged with yesterday's sunrise.  Who needs a collage program...

Thursday, February 17, 2011

my morning commute

 I'm not sure what made me run back into the house this morning to grab my camera, it's definitely a first, but am I ever grateful.  This is the spectacular view that I get every day on my morning commute. Why would I want to go anywhere else?  I'm not sure if I can answer that question today :)
 The little beach park that I stopped at was like an ice rink.  Very tricky to get to the waters edge for this shot.
 And further along the highway .... I just had to pull over again..... drat... I'm going to be late for work!
On my way home today I noticed that they have really pruned the flowering trees along main street.  This one looks quite sinister. 

Saturday, February 12, 2011

It's raining cats and dogs

 It's raining so hard that the satellite TV is cutting out!  So here I am playing in picnik.  What fun!
 For after all, the best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain.
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow


 Weather is a great metaphor for life - sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad, and there's nothing much you can do about it but carry an umbrella. ~Terri Guillemets


 Now this makes me think spring is closer than winter now...
 I might just print this one for next year's Christmas Cards.
 Snow on weeds, how pretty
The driveway, covered in snow a month or so back, now eerie in it's inversion.



Thursday, February 3, 2011

Amaryllis... Apparently not?

 Years ago my Mom started a lovely Christmas tradition where in she would give me an amaryllis.  I would dutifully plant the bulb, and weeks later, would be astonished at the beauty of what it produced.
 This year, she stated that she wasn't sure what color this one was.  Rather an odd occurance because generally she chose according to color.  That said, it was quite a surprize when out came this immense, stunning white group of flowers. Good choice Mom! :)
Isn't this lovely. almost other worldly.
So, imagine my surprise when I google amaryllis (because I love to throw in a link or two to make an otherwise dull post more inviting!) and I find what I think is.... my amaryllis. Or rather, really a hippeastrum. Commonly confused with amaryllis.  Well, I have to say, if they didn't market the little suckers as amaryllis, we wouldn't think that they are amaryllis.
So you be the judge... is it Amaryllis or Hippeastrum?

And for a completely unrelated topic.... meet Watson.  He is my neices new puppy.  Sweetie and I are the designated babysitters.  Aren't we lucky.  I don't have to tell you that I already have a folder full of photo's and videos of dear little Watson on my coolmax  harddrive. 

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

almost done!

It's official!  I could live in my bathroom.  No, I haven't lost my mind... this is what it used to look like... well, this is what it looked like in the midst of the never ending renovation.  25 years ago it didn't seem so bad but now, just YUCK!   
 The 80's called and wanted it's ugly sinks, bar lights and stenciled walls back :)  This gross mess is what they call "floating a floor".  In order to install new laminate flooring we had to fill in all the grooves from the porcelain tile.  What were we thinking installing white porcelain tile???????
 In goes the new laminate flooring.  Beautiful and it won't show every dratted hair that falls off my head!
 Another view of sheer ugliness topping off the gorgeous new floor.....
 Yes, 25 years ago the stencilling I did looked sort of nice... now, not so much :)
The new vanities, new sinks... new faucets!  They look so tiny in this big empty room.  We couldn't find a long vanity that we liked so decided to put two together under one long countertop.  I think it might work out well with a small shelf in the middle and the garbage can underneath.
 I love the wall tattoo I found at WalMart for a couple $$.  The color exactly matches the mirror frames... which I am definitely keeping now (wasn't sure at first).  I guess I should remove the cardboard packing at the corners and hang them!   
Some new dark bamboo blinds, a nice throw for the chair and I'm moving in!